Aaron and Miriam Called Before the Lord's Cloudby KandD
12:9Numbers 12:9
And the anger of the LORD was kindled against them; and he departed.
The Lord's anger was kindled against Miriam and Aaron because they spoke, murmured and complained against Moses, His chosen, faithful servant upon whom He placed His Spirit and with whom He spoke mouth to mouth directly. They acted from jealousy of his prominent position, losing in family familiarity the sense that God had appointed him, resenting helpers, claiming equal standing because God had also spoken through them, and thinking he took too much upon himself. His departing meant He withdrew His presence from them and from the tabernacle, the cloud leaving as a mark of displeasure and sign of judgment that did not return until Miriam was removed from the camp. When He left, His wrath rested on Miriam and she became leprous while Aaron witnessed and was rebuked, then she was shut out seven days amid acknowledged sin and Moses' prayer while the people waited for her return. To complain against God's chosen servant is irreverence toward God Himself and brings serious judgment, standing as a warning against jealous criticism of those He entrusts with His work, for though God bears long with the impenitent there are limits to His forbearance when presumptuous sin is reached and punishment becomes certain.
Setting and Judgment
The anger was kindled against both Miriam and Aaron for speaking, murmuring and complaining against Moses. Moses was the one God had chosen, appointed, vindicated and distinguished as His faithful servant. God had placed His Spirit upon Moses and spoke with him mouth to mouth, directly. To speak against him was therefore to oppose God's appointed servant.
They acted from jealousy of his prominent position. In family familiarity, as his own brother and sister joined with him in the work, they lost the sense that Moses was God's chosen instrument to carry out His will and purposes. They resented the appointment of additional helpers and claimed equal standing and authority because God had also spoken through them as well as through Moses. They murmured that he took too much responsibility upon himself.
His departure means He withdrew His presence from them and from the tabernacle. When the Lord departed, the cloud left the tabernacle. The removal of the cloud showed that His displeasure rested upon them and was a sign of judgment. It did not return until Miriam was removed from the camp.
When He departed, His wrath rested on Miriam and she became leprous. Aaron witnessed her condition and was rebuked. She was shut out of the camp for seven days. Aaron acknowledged their sin, Moses prayed for her, and the people waited until she returned.
Warning and Application
Complaining against God's chosen servant is irreverence toward God Himself, for Moses had been appointed and distinguished as faithful in His service, chosen and having His Spirit placed upon him, and jealousy against him led to anger followed by departure with the cloud leaving the tabernacle and not returning until Miriam was put out of the camp, when she became leprous. Presuming on God's goodness while opposing His appointed servant brings serious judgment. Miriam's punishment and the judgment that followed stand as a warning to all Israel not to speak against God's servant from jealousy and rebellion. It is a warning to all tempted to rebel against Moses. It is applied specifically to Korah in his later rebellion.
Their murmuring warns against jealousy and complaints against those God appoints to carry the burden of His work, for God withdrew His presence when wrath rested on Miriam. He is displeased when people refuse to bear burdens themselves yet criticize the person He has entrusted with them, who were jealous of his prominent position and thought he took too much responsibility upon himself. Because in family connection Aaron and Miriam, Moses' own brother and sister joined with him in the work, lost the sense that Moses was the Lord's chosen instrument to carry out His will and purposes, it is unsafe to link relatives together in the same work, since family influence weakens respect for God's appointment and brings His displeasure. Following the course of Miriam and Aaron by criticizing, condemning, despising and disparaging His appointed servants meets God's signal displeasure. Giving loose rein to the tongue to cut away the influence God appointed them to have, much of it born of evil surmising and seeking to be first, meets His judgment, and those in positions of responsibility must sacredly guard one another's interests and be doers of His Word in little as well as large things. Those who feel at liberty to criticize are wholly out of sympathy with God and angels, and just as they judge others in little things, so God will judge them in the things they have done which dishonor His name.
Though God bears long with the impenitent and offers full pardon if they repent, there are limits to His forbearance that can be reached. When presumptuous sin against God in deed, in word, or even in thought, as in the cases of Miriam and Aaron, reaches that boundary, His anger is kindled and punishment is certain though delayed, and He will not cease till He has made a full end. He is not too good to punish the offender, but while He is a being of infinite love and compassion He is also a consuming fire, even a jealous God.
The Lord's anger was kindled against Miriam and Aaron because they spoke, murmured and complained against Moses, His chosen, faithful servant upon whom He placed His Spirit and with whom He spoke mouth to mouth directly. They acted from jealousy of his prominent position, losing in family familiarity the sense that God had appointed him, resenting helpers, claiming equal standing because God had also spoken through them, and thinking he took too much upon himself. His departing meant He withdrew His presence from them and from the tabernacle, the cloud leaving as a mark of displeasure and sign of judgment that did not return until Miriam was removed from the camp. When He left, His wrath rested on Miriam and she became leprous while Aaron witnessed and was rebuked, then she was shut out seven days amid acknowledged sin and Moses' prayer while the people waited for her return. To complain against God's chosen servant is irreverence toward God Himself and brings serious judgment, standing as a warning against jealous criticism of those He entrusts with His work, for though God bears long with the impenitent there are limits to His forbearance when presumptuous sin is reached and punishment becomes certain.
Setting and Judgment
The anger was kindled against both Miriam and Aaron for speaking, murmuring and complaining against Moses. Moses was the one God had chosen, appointed, vindicated and distinguished as His faithful servant. God had placed His Spirit upon Moses and spoke with him mouth to mouth, directly. To speak against him was therefore to oppose God's appointed servant.
They acted from jealousy of his prominent position. In family familiarity, as his own brother and sister joined with him in the work, they lost the sense that Moses was God's chosen instrument to carry out His will and purposes. They resented the appointment of additional helpers and claimed equal standing and authority because God had also spoken through them as well as through Moses. They murmured that he took too much responsibility upon himself.
His departure means He withdrew His presence from them and from the tabernacle. When the Lord departed, the cloud left the tabernacle. The removal of the cloud showed that His displeasure rested upon them and was a sign of judgment. It did not return until Miriam was removed from the camp.
When He departed, His wrath rested on Miriam and she became leprous. Aaron witnessed her condition and was rebuked. She was shut out of the camp for seven days. Aaron acknowledged their sin, Moses prayed for her, and the people waited until she returned.
Warning and Application
Complaining against God's chosen servant is irreverence toward God Himself, for Moses had been appointed and distinguished as faithful in His service, chosen and having His Spirit placed upon him, and jealousy against him led to anger followed by departure with the cloud leaving the tabernacle and not returning until Miriam was put out of the camp, when she became leprous. Presuming on God's goodness while opposing His appointed servant brings serious judgment. Miriam's punishment and the judgment that followed stand as a warning to all Israel not to speak against God's servant from jealousy and rebellion. It is a warning to all tempted to rebel against Moses. It is applied specifically to Korah in his later rebellion.
Their murmuring warns against jealousy and complaints against those God appoints to carry the burden of His work, for God withdrew His presence when wrath rested on Miriam. He is displeased when people refuse to bear burdens themselves yet criticize the person He has entrusted with them, who were jealous of his prominent position and thought he took too much responsibility upon himself. Because in family connection Aaron and Miriam, Moses' own brother and sister joined with him in the work, lost the sense that Moses was the Lord's chosen instrument to carry out His will and purposes, it is unsafe to link relatives together in the same work, since family influence weakens respect for God's appointment and brings His displeasure. Following the course of Miriam and Aaron by criticizing, condemning, despising and disparaging His appointed servants meets God's signal displeasure. Giving loose rein to the tongue to cut away the influence God appointed them to have, much of it born of evil surmising and seeking to be first, meets His judgment, and those in positions of responsibility must sacredly guard one another's interests and be doers of His Word in little as well as large things. Those who feel at liberty to criticize are wholly out of sympathy with God and angels, and just as they judge others in little things, so God will judge them in the things they have done which dishonor His name.
Though God bears long with the impenitent and offers full pardon if they repent, there are limits to His forbearance that can be reached. When presumptuous sin against God in deed, in word, or even in thought, as in the cases of Miriam and Aaron, reaches that boundary, His anger is kindled and punishment is certain though delayed, and He will not cease till He has made a full end. He is not too good to punish the offender, but while He is a being of infinite love and compassion He is also a consuming fire, even a jealous God.